What will keep our young people on Long Island? Cool downtowns.

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Several village and city mayors and managers get the idea, but we need our town supervisors and community leaders to get behind planning and zoning changes that will encourage the sensible growth essential to our long-term sustainability. Otherwise we’ll all be stuck on our own giant hamster wheel, exerting lots of energy but going nowhere in our efforts to address problems like our high property taxes — and with our children and grandchildren refusing to move back home after college.

Tom Suozzi, an attorney with the law firm Harris Beach, was Nassau County executive from 2002 to 2009 and mayor of Glen Cove from 1994 to 2001. His column will alternate with Jerry Kremer’s and Scott Brinton’s. Comments? TSuozzi@liherald.com.